On My Bookshelf: September

Hi folks, this month I'm starting a new irregular DI sub-blog called "On My Bookshelf," where I'm going to talk about the books I'm reading and which ones I've just finished.

I recently read The Rule Book (2024) by Markus Montola and Jaakko Stenros. It's a book of game studies about the function of different kinds of rules in different kinds of games. It's a fascinating and thorough reference point for the fundamental differences between videogames, boardgames, and TTRPGs (along with sports, playground games, and others to boot!).

I have two books I'm planning to read next. The first is The Monster Baru Cormorant (2018) by Seth Dickinson. It's the sequel to one of the most riveting and engrossing fantasy political thrillers I've ever read, The Traitor Baru Cormorant. The main character is an accountant in a fantasy empire who harbors dark, unspeakable secrets. The first book is the best fantasy I've read since Gene Wolfe, and while I've heard the sequel isn't as good, I'm still hyped to dig into it. The other book I'm looking to read is The Interface Effect (2012) by Andrew Galloway. It's a book of theory on the way people engage with interfaces, including computer screens, books, and control panels. My dear friend Che recommended it to me for its potential applications in thinking about games.

What are you reading right now? Let us know on the forums!

-- Jay Dragon